News

IGS Poll Director Mark DiCamillo quoted in LA Times article highlighting LA voter support for more housing

May 9, 2024
Liam Dillon

The article cites results from the 2024 LABC Institute Housing Affordability Survey in Partnership with the Los Angeles Times, showing a 2-1 margin in support of increased home building in LA, despite nearly half of voters polled doubting its ability to effectively address the housing crisis.

"The mix of messages offers both promise and pitfalls for policymakers hoping to better the city’s long-standing housing challenges by promoting new growth and speedier construction of low-income development. More than anything, the findings show Angelenos hungry for solutions to...

LA Times' David Lauter urges caution and context for voters reviewing election poll results; highlights accuracy of Berkeley IGS poll in 2024 primary results

March 15, 2024
David Lauter

In his March 15th column, "Polls get it right most of the time. Here’s what to be wary of", LA Times Senior editor David Lauter highlights the value of polling for political enthusiasts and concerned voters, while also calling out the pitfalls behind polling methodology. Namely, Lauter points to research conducted by Pew that shows bogus respondents actively trying to distort the results of polls, while also critiquing the way that journalists sometimes sensationalize poll findings to create attention-grabbing headlines. The Berkeley IGS Poll, which conducts its series of election...

Co-Director Schickler quoted in KTVU2 story on Bay Area voter sentiments about high stakes State of the Union address

March 6, 2024
Jana Katsuyama

In the Fox KTVU article, Jana Katsuyama highlights slim margin in February polls between President Biden and Former President Trump, while highlighting some of the reasons for increasing dissatisfaction with each candidate's political bases. This slim margin adds more stakes to President Biden's State of the Union address, to which IGS Co-director Eric Schickler adds, "He's certainly going to convey a sense of himself as someone who works across the aisle, is not a sharp ideologue, and also committed to the norms of democracy,". The story continues to outline the ways that Bay Area...

Berkeley IGS Poll in Progress this Week (May 29 - June 4)

May 29, 2024
Berkeley IGS Poll in Progress This Week

This week the Institute of Governmental Studies will be conducting another of its periodic polls of the California public about major political and public policy issues facing the state. It is a legitimate non-partisan poll sponsored by the University that is carried out by distributing email invitations via Qualtrics to a carefully constructed random sample of the state’s registered voters. Data collection will continue through Tuesday, June 4.

The opinions of all survey participants will remain confidential and not be...

Democracy Camp Journals

Democracy Camp is designed for Cal undergrads who are interested in enhancing our democracy through public service, and who are still discerning their unique pathway. Students participate in either Democracy Camp in Berkeley, the Matsui Center's alternative spring break program, or...

IGS Co-Director Cristina Mora highlighted as Latina Changemaker in KQED Newsletter

May 13, 2024

IGS Co-Director and Sociology Professor Cristina Mora was interviewed for K Onda KQED, KQED's monthly newsletter focused on the Bay Area’s Latinx community. In the article, "The UC Berkeley Professor Centering the Latino Experience on Campus", writer Blanca Torres highlights the ways that Mora has drawn upon her experience as a Latina alumna of UC Berkeley to celebrate the Latino experience in higher education. To read the full article, click here.

We're Hiring a 2024-2025 Events and AV Student Assistant!

April 29, 2024
Ezra Bristow
Student Assistant II (This is a work-study position) Start Date: ASAP Pay: $18.25/hour, approximately 8 hours per week Job Description:

The Institute of Governmental Studies is searching for a detail-oriented and technically-proficient student assistant to support the audio-visual elements of our events and programs. The Events and AV Assistant reports to the IGS Event and Communications Coordinator. This position provides event support for our classes, lectures, major events, seminars, socials, and...

2024 Percy Fellow Alina Zarate presents her research at the Latinx Research Center FMURF Symposium

April 25, 2024

IGS is proud to congratulate one of our 2024 Percy Fellows, Alina Zarate! Alina will be presenting her research on UFW Political Advocacy and Farmworker Justice in the 21st century alongside Dr. Christian Paiz! We are extremely proud of the work you are doing, and can't wait to see what you do next. Congratulations Alina!

The FMURF program supports faculty research and mentorship by pairing outstanding undergraduates with leading scholars working on Latinx topics in disciplines like Social Welfare, Sociology, Public Health, Ethnic Studies, Linguistics, Nutritional Science, and...

2021 Democracy Camp Journal

March 31, 2021
Monday, March 22nd, 2021 Lisa García Bedolla, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies & Dean of the Graduate Division

Dr. Garcia Bedolla’s background and knowledge about career paths for public service were incredibly inspiring. Garcia Bedolla grew up in Los Angeles, as the daughter of Cuban immigrants. Even though her dad wanted her to be a lawyer, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Latin American History from Yale University. She was especially motivated to pursue a Ph.D. because there were very few people of Latin American descent teaching Latin American History. Garcia Bedolla has...

Democracy Camp Student Director, Christian Dieguez, receives Chancellor's Award for Public Service

April 11, 2024

The Institute of Governmental Studies wishes to extend its congratulations to Christian Dieguez, for recently being chosen as a receipient of this years Chancellor's Awards for Public Service!

About the Chancellor's Awards for Public Service:

Each year, the Chancellor recognizes students, staff, faculty, and community partnerships that embody UC Berkeley’s proud tradition of public service and commitment to improving our local and global community. Faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, student organizations, and campus-community partnerships...